GB2363021A

GB2363021A - Modifying image colours by transforming from a source colour volume to a destination colour volume

Info

Publication number: GB2363021A
Application number: GB0008561A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Pettigrew; Francois Paquin
Original assignee: Discreet Logic Inc
Current assignee: Discreet Logic Inc
Priority date: 2000-04-07
Filing date: 2000-04-07
Publication date: 2001-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-07
Also published as: US6757425B2; GB0008561D0; US20010028738A1; GB2363021B

Abstract

In order to modify image colours, a user identifies a source colour (707) and a destination colour (708) preferably having a common luminance. Source and destination colour volumes (821,822) are defined by identifying three fixed points in colour space. The source colour volume (821) is defined by the identified source colour (707) and said three fixed points and the destination colour volume (822) is defined by the destination colour (708) and the same said three fixed points. The process of identifying the three fixed points in colour space may comprise firstly identifying two points (811, 812) opposite in colour to the source (707) on a plane of constant luminance, and secondly selecting the most distant of white or black as the third point (813). A transformation is subsequently defined (804) to transform from the source to the destination volume. This transformation, when applied (805) to image colours results in the colour change intended by the user.

Description

2363021 1 Processing Image Data

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to image processing apparatus, a method of processing image data and a data carrying medium.

Introduction to the Invention

The digitisation of image processing has enabled many new image manipulation techniques to be developed. Available digital processing effects include a process of colour warping, in which colour attributes of an image, or area of an image, can be modified in some way. Common uses for such a technique are removal of unwanted colour artefacts, special effects and control over aesthetics.

Many image processing systems provide control over colour through the use of gamma correction curves. Gamma correction curves define transfer functions that are applied to red, green and blue image data values, in such a way that a colour transformation occurs. However, manipulation of such curves to produce satisfactory results is extremely difficult. In the case of creating special effects, the lack of intuitive feet of such an approach makes such an approach extremely limited.

From a mathematical perspective, many systems provide colour transformations defined in terms of matrices. Matrices may be used to define arbitrary transformations in colour space, just as they are used in the more familiar world of computer modelling and computer-aided design. However, although such techniques theoretically provide an enhanced level of control over colour space, and have the potential to provide useful colour warping tools, the lack of an intuitive relation between the mathematics and 2 the effect upon the colours of an image makes these techniques difficult to apply.

In particular, a common requirement in image processing is to change one particular colour in an image, for example, to modify the blue colour of the sky, or the green colour of an apple. These are requirements that are easily stated in artistic terms. However, known image processing tools are restricted in their ability to provide an appropriate interpretation of the artist's intention in these cases.

is Summary of the Invention

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for processing image data, comprising storage means arranged to store instructions, memory means for storing said instructions during execution and for storing image data, processing means for performing image processing in which said image data is processed to modify colour values, and display means for facilitating user interaction with said image processing, wherein said processing means is configured such that, in response to said instructions, said image data is processed by steps of: identifying a source colour; identifying a destination colour; identifying three fixed points in colour space; identifying a source colour volume defined by said source colour with said three fixed points; identifying a destination colour volume defined by said destination colour and said three fixed points; and defining a correspondence transformation between said source and said destination colour volumes and applying said correspondence transformation to said image data.

Brief Description of the Drawings

3 Figure 1 shows an image processing system including a computer and a monitor; Figure 2 details components of the computer shown in Figure 1, including a main memory; Figure 3 details user operations performed on the image processing system shown in Figure 1, including processing images; Figure 4 details the contents of the main memory shown in Figure 2 as they would appear during the image processing shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 details processes performed during image processing shown in Figure 3, including a process of fine tuning; Figure 6 details colour spaces used in the present invention; Figure 7 details a user interface provided on the monitor shown in Figure 1; Figure 8 summarises the invention and details the fine tuning process shown in Figure 5, including a step of defining colour volumes and a step of defining a transformation; Figure 9 details the step of defining colour volumes shown in Figure 8; Figure 10 details the step of defining a transformation shown in Figure 8, including a step of defining a matrix, and Figure 11 details matrices used in the step of defining a matrix shown in Figure 10.

Detailed Description of The Preferred Embodiment

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

A system for the processing of image data is illustrated in Figure 1. A 4 digital tape player 101 plays and records digital tapes having a high data capacity suitable for storing many frames of high definition image data. in preparation for image processing, images for a film clip are transferred from a tape in the tape player 101 to a frame store 102. The frame store 102 comprises several high capacity hard disk drives, arranged to supply and store image data in parallel across many individual drives at once. The hard disk drives are configured as a redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID). Using the frame store 102, it is possible to play back and record high resolution film images at any location in a clip without having to wait for a tape wind mechanism to reach the required frame. Furthermore the frame store facilitates real time play and record of image data, when the amount of processing being performed is minimal, for example when previewing a stored clip.

A computer 103 facilitates the transfer of image data between the tape player 101 and the frame store 102. The computer 103 also facilitates the modification, processing and adjustment of image data to form an output clip that will eventually be stored onto digital tape. The computer is a Silicon Graphics Octane (TIVI). Images are previewed on a monitor 104 on which is also displayed a graphical user interface (GUI) to provide the user with several controls and interfaces for controlling the manipulation of image data. When processing image data, the user interacts with images and the graphical user interface displayed on the monitor 104 via a graphics tablet 105. For alphanumeric input, there is provided a keyboard 106, although facilities may be provided via the graphical user interface to facilitate occasional text input using the graphics tablet 105.

In addition to receiving image data from the tape player 101 and the frame store 102, the computer 103 may receive image and or other data over a network. The image processing system shown in Figure I facilitates the manipulation of image data by a digital artist in order to achieve high quality special effects and processing of image data.

In a typical application, film clips are digitised and stored on digital tape for transfer to the system shown in Figure 1. The film clips include several camera shots that are to be combined into the same scene. It is the task of the user or digital artist to combine and process this source image data into a single output clip that will be stored back onto tape for later transfer to film or video. Typical examples of this type of scene are where real images shot by a film camera are to be combined with artificially generated images and backgrounds, including scenes where actors are to be placed in computer-generated environments.

The computer 103 shown in Figure I is detailed in Figure 2. Two MIPS R12000 central processing units (CPUs) 201 and 202 are configured to process instructions and data in parallel. Primary cache facilities are provided within each of the processors 201 and 202 in the form of a separate instruction and data cache. Both processors 201 and 202 are equipped with a one megabyte secondary cache 203 and 204. The CPUs 201 and 202 are connected via a memory controller to a switch 206 and a main memory 207. The main memory 207 comprises two gigabytes of dynamic RAM.

The switch 206 enables up to seven different non-blocking connections to be made between connected circuits. A graphics card 208 receives instructions from a CPUs 201 or 202 in order to render image data and graphical user interface components on the monitor 104. A high bandwidth SCSI bridge 209 facilitates high bandwidth communications to be made with the digital tape player 101 and the frame store 102. An 1/0 6 bridge 210 provides input output interface circuitry for peripherals, including the graphics tablet 105, the keyboard 106 and a network. A second SCSI bridge 211 provides interface connections with an internal hard disk drive 212. This has a capacity of thirteen gigabytes. The second SCSI bridge 211 also provides connections to a CDROM drive 213, from which instructions for the central processing units 201 and 202 may be installed onto the hard disk 212.

Steps performed by the user when operating the image processing system shown in Figure 1 are detailed in Figure 3. At step 301 the user switches on the computer 103 and logs on to their user account. If necessary, the user proceeds to step 302 in order to install Flame instructions onto the computer's hard disk 212. Instructions may be provided on a CDROM 303 via the CDROM drive 213, or over a network.

T'-,-reafter, control is directed to step 304, whereafter the instructions are ex6cuted by the CPUs 201 and 202.

If starting on a new job, it will be necessary to obtain image data from film or video clips stored on digital tapes. This is done at step 305, where input clips are transferred from the tape player 101 to the digital frame store 102. Once a finished clip has been generated from the input clips, this is exported to tape at step 306. Alternative forms of import and export of image data may be performed as necessary, including transfer of image data over a network, transfer of image data from CDROM or transfer of data directly from a camera that may be connected to the input of a suitably equipped graphics card 208. Once finished using the image processing system, at step 307 the user logs off from their account and the computer and other equipment are switched off if necessary.

The contents of the main memory 207 shown in Figure 2, during 7 image processing 304, are detailed in Figure 4. An operating system 401 provides common instructions required for applications running on the computer 103. A suitable operating system is the Irix (TIVI) operating system available from Silicon Graphics.

In the present embodiment, the main memory includes Flame instructions 402 for image processing. The present applicant has image processing applications that include Flame (TIVI), and the word Flame will henceforward refer to an improved version of Flame, operating in accordance with the present invention. Flame instructions 402 include fine tuning instructions 403. The instructions 402 and 403 may originate from a CDROM 303 or over a network connection, such as an Intemet connection.

Main memory 207 further comprises a workspace 404, used for temporary storage of variables and other data during execution of instructions 401, 402 and 403 by the processors 201 and 202. The main memory also includes areas for source image data 405, definitions of colour volumes 406, a colour transformation 407 and output image data 408.

Image processing 304 shown in Figure 3, facilitated by instructions 402 and 403, is detailed in Figure 5. At step 501 the user initiates operations to import clips of image data. A clip comprises sequential image frames that may originate from a variety of sources, such as video or film.

Each frame may comprise several megabytes of image data, depending upon the source and data format. The import operation results in a transfer of image data from a source medium, such as a digital tape on digital tape player 101, to the frame store 102.

At step 502, image processing other than colour warping is performed. Many operations may be performed at step 502, including effects such as colour keying, image distortion, motion blur, and so on.

8 Colour warping is a process in which a general shift in colour is applied to an image. Known systems provide colour warping using gamma curves for red, green and blue colour components. While these curves provide comprehensive control of colour, the relation between the user's interaction with such curves and the resulting change in colour in an output image is non-intuitive. In particular, in many instances, the user will require a modification to be made to only a very small range of colours. Such small changes are made possible by the invention, and the colour warping process is described as fine tuning, as this relates to the way in which particular colours can be changed without detrimentally affecting other colours.

At step 503 an image is identified for fine tuning. At step 504 fine tuning is performed in accordance with the present invention, and in accordance with operations performed by the processors 201 and 202 in response to the fine tuning instructions 403. At step 505 a question is asked as to whether the result is satisfactory. If not, control is directed to step 504, and the fine tuning is modified. Eventually, after several iterations, the resulting output image will have a satisfactory appearance. Thereafter, control is directed to step 506, where a question is asked as to whether another image requires fine tuning. If so, control is directed to step 503. Alternatively, definitions of fine tuning for an image or plurality of images is complete, and control is directed to step 507.

At step 507 a question is asked as to whether the fine tuning defined at step 504 should be animated. Fine tuning at different frames may be used to control an interpolated fine tuning effect for intermediate frames. This enables a gradual colour change to be applied over the duration of a clip. If an animated fine tune is required, control is directed to step 508, 9 where intermediate frames in the clip have their images modified automatically, without the need to repeat step 504 for each intermediate frame individually.

At step 509 a question is asked as to whether more image processing is required, for example, for other clips. If so, control is directed to step 502. Alternatively image processing is complete, and the resulting output clips may be exported to tape or other medium, at step 510.

Source image data 405 and output image data 508 have their image colour defined by a red, green and blue intensity value for each pixel in the image. However, when defining fine tuning, a different colour space is used, where dimensions of pure colour are separated out from a single dimension of pure luminance. A colour space having these characteristics is the VIPbPr colour space.

Figure 6 details the relationship between RGB and VIPbPr colour spaces. In VPbPr colour space, Y' is a dimension of pure luminance, that may be expressed as a range of fractional values from zero to one. Pb and Pr are pure colour dimensions, with Pb being closely related to the blue of RGB, and Pr being closely related to green. Pb and Pr range across negative and positive values, and these may be considered as varying from minus one to plus one. However, these values are arbitrary and depend upon implementation.

VPbPr colour space may be considered as having a cylindrical shape with a central axis V, that is a vector extending out from the origin of RGB colour space, as shown at 601. Conversion between these colour spaces may be achieved by a matrix, and the parameters required for a transformation from RGB to VIPbPr are detailed at 602. Transformation from RGB to VPbPr may be assigned to a matrix A. The inverse of A, K', k provides transformation from Y?bPr to RGB. There is an intuitive relationship between these colour spaces for colours of pure black and pure white, as shown at the bottom of Figure 6.

The user interface presented to the user on the monitor 104 shown in Figure 1 is detailed in Figure 7. A source image 405 and an output image 408 are displayed side by side in the upper half of the display area for comparison purposes. Transport controls 701 enable a user to select individual frames or play back a sequence of frames from a clip. The position within a clip of the currently displayed frame is marked on a timeline 702. A trackball widget 703 facilitates user input of two dimensional vectors of the PbPr colour plane. A luminance display field facilitates user definition of a plane of luminance in which the colour adjustment is primarily to be made. A graphical representation of a PbPr colour plane at the luminance selected at 703, is displayed at 705.

The user can select a region of colour 706 by dragging the cursor across an area of the source image 405. Pixels in the selected area are then plotted on the PbPr colour plane as shown at 707. The user places a mark at the centre of these pixel colours. This is not shown in the Figure as it is obscured by the pixel plot 707. This mark represents the source colour.

The source colour is defined by its PbPr co-ordinates on the display 705, and by the luminance value 704. By use of the trackball 703, the user is then able to define a destination colour 708. It is intended,that the source colour should become transformed to the destination colour. The results of the user's actions are displayed immediately in the output image 408. The user is quickly able to setup source and destination colour definitions, and to thereby experiment and quickly achieve useful results. Fine tuning settings can be stored for recall in a later Flame session.

11 Details of the invention are summarised in Figure 8. The fine tuning step 504 shown in Figure 5 is detailed in steps 801 to 805. At step 801 the user identifies a source colour 707. At step 802 the user identifies a destination colour 708. At step 803 a source colour volume and a destination colour volume are defined. At step 804 a transformation is defined in response to processing of the colour volumes defined at step 803. This transformation is a matrix "M" that, when applied to an RGB pixel of the source colour, translates it to RGB pixel values of the destination colour. Thus, although the source 707 and destination 708 colours are defined in Y?bPr colour space, the matrix "M" defined at step 804, operates directly upon RGB data values, thereby minimising the computation required when adjusting the colour of an image. At step 805 the transformation is applied to image pixels of the source image 405, and the output image 408 is updated.

Although the user only has to identify source and destination colours as individual points on the PbPr colour graph 705, a transformation in three dimensional colour space requires a volume to be defined. In known colour warping systems, much of the complexity in their use arises from the need for the user to define not one source and destination point, but an entire source and destination volume. Various interfaces are provided for this, but the fact remains that the user thinks in terms of a point to point movement.

In the invention, colour volumes are derived automatically from individual source and destination colour co-ordinates.

The definition of the source colour volume is illustrated at 806. The source colour point 707 is directly opposite a first point 811 and a second point 812 in the same luminance plane. The third point is always identified as being either white or black 813, whichever is furthest from the source 12 colour 707. In the example shown, black is the most distant point, and so the source colour volume 821 is defined by points 707, 811, 812 and 813.

The destination colour volume is illustrated at 807. This shares the three points 811, 812 and 813 automatically identified for the source colour volume. The only difference is the destination colour 708 itself. The destination colour volume 822 is defined by points at 811, 812, 813 and 708. Matrix 'Y' defines a transformation of the source colour volume 821 to the destination colour volume 822. It can be seen that considerable occurs from point 707 to point 708. However, elsewhere there is less movement.

The transformation 'Y' will result in slight changes being made to colours anywhere in colour space. The movement from source to destination colour volumes characterises these changes, although pixels having colours outside these volumes will also be modified to some degree.

This approach ensures that maximum change is made to the colour selected as the source colour 707 by the user. Other slight colour changes occur naturally, but mostly in the region of intended colour change. This makes the invention especially useful for making slight changes to a particular colour.

The process 803 of defining colour volumes, shown in Figure 8, is detailed in Figure 9. At step 901 the source colour 707 is considered, and an opposite point 900 on the PbPr colour wheel is identified. At step 902 two points 811 and 812, equidistant from point 900, are identified. They are characterised in that they are separated by an angle of 0.9 radians. These two points 811 and 812 may be considered as being, in combination, opposite to the source colour 707. Furthermore, their colour saturation is set to 0.3, whereas colour saturation values may vary from zero to one.

Saturation is the length of the vector from PbPr = (0,0) to a colour. It is 13 given as the square root of the sum of the squares of Pb and Pr.

At step 903 the most distant of white or black, from the source colour 707, is selected as being the third point 813. At step 904 the source colour volume 821 is defined as the three points 811, 812 and 813 plus the source colour point 707. At step 905 the destination colour volume 822 is defined as the three points 811, 812 and 813 plus the destination colour point 708.

The process 804 of defining the transformation "M", shown in Figure 8, is detailed in Figure 10. At step 1001 the co-ordinates of the colour volume points are converted to RGB values using the inverse matrix K' described at 602 in Figure 6. At step 1002 a matrix "S" is created from co ordinates of the source colour volume. These four co-ordinates may be considered as S1, S2, S3 and S4, each having X, Y and Z co-ordinates representing red, green and blue intensity values respectively. At step 1003 a matrix "D" is created from co-ordinates of the destination colour volume.

These four co-ordinates may be considered as D1, D2, D3 and D4, each having X, Y and Z values representing red, green and blue.

The requirement for matrix 'M' may be written as:

D = M. S In other words, matrix M transforms the source volume S to destination volume D. This relationship may be rewritten:

M = S. D At step 1004, the transformation matrix "M" is defined by calculating a solution to the above relation. The starting matrices S and D used to 14 obtain the solution are shown in Figure 11. The solution is obtained using known techniques for solving matrices, and the resulting matrix "M" is a four by four matrix of the type used for transformations in three dimensions.

Claims

1. Apparatus for processing image data, comprising storage means arranged to store instructions, memory means for storing said instructions during execution and for storing image data, processing means for performing image processing in which said image data is processed to modify colour values, and display means for facilitating user interaction with said image processing, wherein said processing means is configured such that, in response to said instructions, said image data is processed by steps of:

identifying a source colour; identifying a destination colour; identifying three fixed points in colour space; identifying a source colour volume defined by said source colour with said three fixed points; identifying a destination colour volume defined by said destination colour and said three fixed points; and defining a correspondence transformation between said source and destination colour volumes; and applying said correspondence transformation to said image data.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said processing means is further configurable by said instructions such that said source and destination colours have the same luminance.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, including graphical input 16 means wherein user input signals from said graphical input means are used to identify said source and destination colours.

4. Apparatus according to claim constant luminance has Pb and Pr co-ordinates.

3, wherein said plane of

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said instructions configure said processing means to perform an additional operation of identifying a luminance for said source and destination colours.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said instructions may configure said processing means to perform operations such that one of said three fixed points is selected as being either white or black, in response to the length of the vector of one of said identified colours.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two of said three fixed points are in the same plane of constant luminance as said identified colours.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein two of said three fixed points are opposite one of said identified colours with respect to the colour centre in a plane of constant luminance.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transformation is defined differently at a plurality of images in a clip, and interpolation is performed to determine intermediate transformations at respective intermediate frames.

17

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said interpolation is controlled by an animation curve.

11. A method of processing image data in an image processing system including memory means for storing instructions and image data, processing means for performing image processing in which said image data is processed to modify colour values, said instructions defining colour modifying operations to be performed by said processing means to process said image data, wherein said operations include:

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said source and destination colours have the same luminance.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein a user supplies colour indications for said identification of source and destination colours, 18 wherein said user generates said colour indications with respect to colours in a plane of constant luminance.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said plane of constant luminance has Pb and Pr co-ordinates.

15. A method according to claim 11, including an additional operation of identifying a luminance for said source and destination colours.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein one of said three fixed points is selected as being either white or black, in response to the length of the vector of one of said identified colours.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein two of said three fixed points are in the same plane of constant luminance as said identified colours.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein two of said three fixed points are opposite one of said identified colours with respect to the centre of a plane of constant luminance.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein said transformation is defined differently at a plurality of images in a clip, and interpolation is performed to determine intermediate transformations at respective intermediate frames.

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20. A method according to claim 19, wherein said interpolation is controlled by an animation curve.

21. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions executable by a computer configurable for image processing, said computer including memory means for storing said instructions and image data, processing means for performing image processing in which said image data is processed to modify colour values, said instructions defining operations to be performed by said processing means to process said image data, wherein said operations include:

22. A computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein said source and destination colours have the same luminance.

23. A computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein a user supplies colour indications for said identification of source and destination colours, wherein said user generates said colour indications with respect to colours in a plane of constant luminance.

24. A computer-read able medium according to claim 23, wherein said plane of constant luminance has Pb and Pr co-ordinates.

25. A compute r-read able medium according to claim 21, including an additional operation of identifying a luminance for said source and destination colours.

26. A computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein one of said three fixed points is selected as being either white or black, in response to the length of the vector of one of said identified colours.

27. A computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein two of said three fixed points are in the same plane of constant luminance as said identified colours.

28. A computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein two of said three fixed points are opposite one of said identified colours with respect to the centre of a plane of constant luminance.

29. A computer-readable medium according to claim 21, wherein said transformation is defined differently at a plurality of images in a clip, and interpolation is performed to determine intermediate transformations at respective intermediate frames.

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30. A computer-readable medium according to claim 29, wherein said interpolation is controlled by an animation curve.